Physical Science A

Course Description:

This is the first semester of a two-semester course. This course is designed as an interactive, 21st century course focusing on basic physics and chemistry. Topics include forces and motion, energy through waves, electricity and magnetism, the matter around us, chemical bonding and reactions.

This course is designed to serve as a foundation for the study of the physical sciences. The utilization of scientific inquiry, web 2.0 tools, interactive experiences, higher order thinking, collaborative projects, real world application through labs and a variety of assessments all aid the student in ultimately demonstrating a vast understanding of the importance of the physical and chemical properties of the world around them; enabling them to apply these properties to their everyday lives.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): Physical Science A
Course Title (NCES SCED) : Physical Science
Course Provider : Whitehall District Schools
Content Provided By : Florida Virtual School
Online Instructor Provided By : Whitehall District Schools
Standards Addressed : Michigan Merit Curriculum, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Alignment Document : https://flvs1.sharepoint.com/teams/global/gs/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?guestaccesstoken=2c7YUmQTSN4W33S3N%2fT0QC3oFDPMaaBIEVD9ifVGlts%3d&docid=1d25b0bb08a94454e853022f0bb00ee88&action=view
Academic Terms : Accelerated, Semester, Trimester
NCES SCED Code :
Subject Area : Life and Physical Sciences
Course Identifier : Physical Science
Course Level : High School (Secondary)
Available Credit : 0.5
Sequence : 1 of 2

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YdR3HokdLLxYI12PREUtRtEJiA-ehiyvHe6rCao1d4I/edit?ts=611abbf3
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (888) 889-2840

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

Start Registration Request

Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost Description: None

  • Explain energy in motion and describe forces, velocity, acceleration, work, power.
  • Define energy and differentiate various forms of energy.
  • Describe how energy travels in waves and describe wave phenomena.
  • Describe the nature of science and apply knowledge of the nature of science.
  • Describe and apply the processes of science, such as making observations, asking questions, formulating hypotheses, analyzing data, and making inferences.
  • Conduct scientific experiments and communicate the results in appropriate ways.
  • Explain the generation of electricity and magnetism.

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Partially Met Course goals and objectives are not measurable, but are included.
The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Partially Met Florida state standards and national standards are present.
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Partially Met Some assignments require additional instruction to ensure rigor and depth. Content is sufficient, practice and assessments are lacking rigor.
Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Partially Met Information literacy and communication skills are somewhat incorporated as part of the curriculum. Discussion based assessments are lacking.
Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met Multiple learning resources are provided before students engage in course content.
Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met Found under the "Welcome -> Course Information" link within Blackboard. No point values on the FLVS pacing guide.
Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met All course requirements are included.
Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual School (MVS) Blackboard learning management system (LMS).
Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met Course is free of advertising.
Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met Provided in the MVS Blackboard LMS.
Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met Provided in the MVS Blackboard LMS.
Instructor Resources Rating Comments
Online instructor resources and notes are included. Fully Met Found under the "Welcome -> eTeacher Guide" link within Blackboard.
Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Partially Met Some assignments contain rubrics. No examples are included. Explanations are limited.
Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Fully Met Instructional materials are varied and engaging.
Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met Course desgin is clear and well-organized.
Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Partially Met Accountability in assessments is lacking. Active engagement is not a requirement.
The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Fully Met Multiple learning styles are addressed.
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met Higher order activities and assessments are included.
The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Partially Met FLVS content can not be modified, but we have the ability to modify assessments and add content within Blackboard LMS.
Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Partially Met Grade levels are not prominently displayed.
Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met Multiple learning activities and other opportunities are created to foster instructor-student interaction. Students receive timely and frequent feedback on their progress that emphasizes the intended learner outcomes. The feedback is individualized and detailed.
The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Partially Met Currently, there are limited opportunites for instructor-student interaction within the beginning of the course. We recommend adding in intro assignments before he course is launched.
The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Partially Met There are limitied opportunities for student-student interaction. More class discussions would be helpful. Interactions tend to be instructor driven.
Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Fully Met The resources enrich and are relevant to the content.
Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met All strategies used to assess students throughout the course are consistent with and aligned to what is presented in the course goals and objectives posted within the course.
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met Multiple types of assessments allow students to demonstrate their understanding, and assessment types are matched to the level of knowledge being tested.
Feedback Rating Comments
Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Fully Met The course consistently provides ongoing, varied, and frequent formative assessments to check for student understanding and to ensure they are prepared for the next lesson.
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met There are numerous feedback tools and procedures built into the course for continuous student self-monitoring.
Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met The course offers a wide variety of assessment techniques.
Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Partially Met Some rubrics are provided. Student work examples are not provided.
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Partially Met Students are not consistently given information about how their work will be scored.
Course Architecture Rating Comments
The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Partially Met The course architecture provides limited opportunity for the teacher to add content, activities, and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Content can be added outside of the lesson, but format will not match. Activities can be added outside of lesson, but format will not match. Assessments can not be modified/added.
The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met **Pacing guides to be made before start of course.** The calendar within the learning management system permits adjustments to the pacing guides, though MVS has established start and end dates for fall, spring, summer, and trimester enrollment terms.
User Interface Rating Comments
Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met
Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Fully Met
Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met Communicated in the syllabus, the MVU website, and the Blackboard LMS.
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met Found within "Course Information" link in the LMS.
The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met
The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met
Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met Communicated within the MVU Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) through the website and the LMS.
Accessibility Rating Comments
Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Fully Met Found within "Course Information" link
Data Security Rating Comments
Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met Course is password protected; the privacy policy is communicated in the Blackboard LMS.
Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met Students have the ability to rate the lesson as completed, student evaluation at end of course. MVU also has access to additional data regarding student success and satisfaction with courses.
The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Fully Met The course undergoes a product review every 18 months and is updated or reversioned based upon the result of the review.
Course Updates Rating Comments
The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Fully Met The course was last updated in May 2016.
Certification Rating Comments
Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met All MVS instructors are certified in the state of Michigan, endorsed within their assigned content areas and grade levels, and highly qualified under state and federal guidelines.
Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met MVS instructors complete an onboarding course prior to teaching, annual professional development and conference attendance, participate in monthly department meetings, and are provided online resources for various instructional media.
The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met MVS instructors have access to a knowledge base with tutorials to assist them. Students also have a customer care center that offers technical support and course management assistance.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met MVS instructors receive extensive initial and ongoing instructional support through an onboarding course, face-to-face meetings, and monthly department meetings.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met MVS instructors receive extensive initial and ongoing instructional support through an onboarding course, face-to-face meetings, and monthly department meetings.
The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met MVS instructors receive extensive initial and ongoing instructional support through an onboarding course, face-to-face meetings, and monthly department meetings.
Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met Students are offered an orientation, i.e., the Online Learning Orientation Tool (OLOT), for taking an online course before starting the coursework in the learning management system.

Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review: 08/05/2016

  • Unit 1: Motion
  • Unit 2: Waves
  • Unit 3: Electricty
Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
Students can use chat, email or private message system within the course to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance.